The Queen in Hell

Lorenzo?

"I can't, I'm really really really busy" I exclaim lying through my teeth as my coworker and good friend Madison try's to get me to go out and have a girls night with her tonight.
"I've texted you six times about it and you've said that exact same excuse every time" she says raising a brow.

"I know but-"
"That seems oddly suspicious to me! But you know I'm in" Lily says from her desk in the front. She's the concierge and Madison is a fellow psychological analyzer.
"Listen Adeline it's your birthday tomorrow and since we are both working then I want to do something tonight!!" She exclaims and lily nods in agreement. I scowl, how did she know it was my birthday tomorrow, and had time really passed that much. It was what September when I got home!

"Wait a second how did you know?" I ask puzzled.
"Well there's this box that has happy birthday stamped all over it! It's in your office And then I looked at your resume andddd wellll" She says shrugging. And I scowl, who would send me a happy birthday box?

"How come I didn't see it?" I ask scowling.
"It's only 10 honey and you haven't even been in your office yet" Lily says chuckling and then she answers the ringing phone.
"Well no time like the present!" I exclaim and start to move towards my office.
"So its a yes??" Madison asks and I smile. I guess I deserve some fun..even if I'm not feeling up to it. So I nod and enter my office. I throw down the file I was holding on my desk and see the small tiny box on the desk. It has wrapping paper that says happy birthday and a notecard that reads Adeline..

I pick it up and toss the notecard aside opening up the box. When I open it my eyes go round, it's a necklace, a very beautiful one, one I've seen before...it's Mia's locket, the one Lorenzo told me to keep. My heart starts to beat fast and I grab the notecard pulling it open and reading what it says inside.

Something special just for you.
Happy birthday Adeline.

That's it? All he had to say?! If it was even him! I growl shutting the box and throwing it in the drawer of my desk. How dare he?! Come all the way here to send me some birthday present when he left me! When he dropped me like I meant nothing! Good you know what this is exactly what I needed to let go! I need to! No matter how it hurts, I need to live again, and clearly if I'm not worth his time he shouldn't be worth mine.. tonight we are gonna go out and have fun! And that's that!

**************

"Guys I don't know!" I exclaim on Group FaceTime with Madison and lily who are also getting ready. I hold up my outfit and they both try to convince me it's perfect.

It's a dark blue jean with a white spaghetti strap crop top and a checkered black and white cardigan.

"I love it! Now wear it!" I smile at the two of them getting excited and throwing it on. I throw on my black high heels which are like a bootie but also not really with a tall thick heel.
"Alright guys I'm gonna come and pick you up now!" I yell from the bathroom as I let down my hair. It's long now, right below my shoulders and layered. The blue is gentle and the curls make the purple pop. I check myself out in the mirror and try to enjoy myself as I leave my apartment with my bag on my arm my phone and keys in hand and my heels clicking against the floor.

But the hairs on my neck stand up when I hear something behind me. I turn around instantly my heart hammering against my chest, but the hallway is empty. I shake it off and quickly get into the elevator where I feel the chill go away. It was probably nothing, just my oversensitive paranoid mind.

"Goodnight Mrs Felix!" I say to the old lady in the front. She growls at me and I smirk, the usual.
I get out into the crisp March air and I don't feel older, actually I forgot my birthday even existed, but now it suddenly feels too fast.. I'm only gonna be 22 but it's still seemed like weeks not months..